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Joined: Jun 2010
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Top Banana
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OP
Top Banana
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,200 |
Hope you liked it. As always, feedback appreciated!
Reach for the moon, for even if you fail, you'll still land among the stars... and who knows? Maybe you'll meet Superman along the way.
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Features Writer
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Features Writer
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 966 |
Beautiful story! I love that it moved from an introspective character piece to a revelation story--and I love that you made clear that both of them were isolated by their insecurities and vulnerabilities.
The parallels between Superman's warmth--of the sun--and Clark's--like a comfortable sweater--were very well-drawn. I loved the slow process as Lois realized they were one and the same.
The conversation over the phone was very painful; I could just see both of their expressions as they spoke so slowly and tortuously.
And the ending was perfect! I love that she moved to take his glasses and asked if he trusted her. And I love how he asked her what she was doing to him!
Great story! I loved it!
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 6,142 Likes: 3
Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 6,142 Likes: 3 |
WOW! Just wow! That was pretty incredible! There are just sooooo many good lines in this. And I LOVE the reasons behind why Lois slept with Claude. I've never seen it presented quite like this before. Like Anti-K said, I love how it was at first an introspective piece, but then it morphed to include revelations. Just a few favorite lines/images: Her unattainable knight in shining armor was just a man after all. Yet Clark was comfortable like an old sweater… And Superman was warm like the sun…
Both were warm enough to melt her… thaw out the ice queen until she was human again. A woman, who just longed to be loved. She moved closer to him, urging the warmth to reach her once more. Keep the ice queen at bay, Clark. Trust me, and I’ll trust you.
She reached out a tentative hand, towards his glasses, and he flinched, just barely.
Her heart ached for him in that moment. She saw that he was as scared as she was.
“Clark? Do you trust me?” she asked, voicing her silent plea “Lois, what are you doing to me?” he said in a voice barely above a whisper. “I’m telling the ordinary man—that I love him. That I choose him,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. And the entire ending.
Battle On, Deadly Chakram
"Being with you is stronger than me alone." ~ Clark Kent
"One little spark of inspiration is at the heart of all creation." ~ Figment the Dragon
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 397 |
Oh wow, this was amazing ! You packed such a powerful punch in so few words - FABULOUS. Loved every word of it!
LOIS:I don't like you. MAYSON: Really? Oh god, that is such a relief - I don't like you either. LOIS: That makes me feel so much better
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Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 9,509 |
Well done. I really liked this. I loved Clark's nervousness at her touching his glasses, his hesitancy during the phone conversation, his realization that she loved him -- all of him. Very sweet.
VirginiaR. "On the long road, take small steps." -- Jor-el, "The Foundling" --- "clearly there is a lack of understanding between those two... he speaks Lunkheadanian and she Stubbornanian" -- chelo.
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Columnist
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Columnist
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 605 |
Hi, I've been too busy to keep up with the MBs, but I thought I'd take a chance and read a short. I'm so glad I did. This was so Lois and Clark, so lovely and very well written. Note to self. Read more shorts! Yours Jenni
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Kerth
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Kerth
Joined: Dec 2005
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Well done, very well done.
Framework4
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Top Banana
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OP
Top Banana
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,200 |
Wow! I'm overwhelmed by your kind words. This story just sort of flowed out of me... I had had a start of one on my hard drive for a long time dealing with the night Superman rejects Lois, yet something was missing and it didn't seem to work. And then when I started on this, I took parts from the other story and it just fit. I still think I need to edit it a bit more before it goes to the archive, but I'm humbled by your response! Thank you!!
Reach for the moon, for even if you fail, you'll still land among the stars... and who knows? Maybe you'll meet Superman along the way.
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 4,425 Likes: 1
Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 4,425 Likes: 1 |
Hi MozartMaid,
I really like how you captured Lois's insecurities and how you made sense of the way she kept shooting herself in the foot in the romance department.
I know you value all feedback, so I'll tell you the negative, as well: I'm afraid the ending didn't work for me. It didn't seem to me to be true to Clark's character. I would think that Clark would close himself off, at least at first, fearing that despite her words, she didn't really love Clark for himself, but only because he was also Superman. After she had just rejected Clark and thrown herself at Superman, for her to do such an about-face just when she had figured his secret out would be sure to set all sorts of warning bells off in Clark's head. Sorry about that. To judge by the other feedback, I am obviously very much in the minority here.
But even so, I did enjoy your story. It was an excellent study of Lois' psyche.
Joy, Lynn
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Columnist
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Columnist
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Silence is violence. End white supremacy based violence
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Posts: 1,724 Likes: 1
Merriwether
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Merriwether
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,724 Likes: 1 |
Loved seeing how Lois put the pieces together. I especially liked this line: “I’ve realized that I’m in love-- with an ordinary man,” she said, purposely using those words, waiting to see them register in his eyes. Nice job! Joan
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Columnist
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Columnist
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Loved it too!
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,578 Likes: 10 |
Lovely piece! /me melts. Andreia
"My wife's love is what unites Krypton and Earth in my heart. Without it, without her, I truly would be in hell."
~ Superman: Man of Tomorrow #15
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Apr 2003
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Lovely, just lovely. I really enjoyed it. Artemis
History is easy once you've lived it. - Duncan MacLeod Writing history is easy once you've lived it. - Artemis
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,194 Likes: 1 |
Very well done. Although I, too, had concerns about what Clark's reaction would be, I don't find the one you chose unbelievable. I think people can surprise us and themselves, and maybe Clark saw something in Lois that caused him to believe her to be sincere. She was, after all. In the end, she saw that she needed the ordinary man, not the unattainable hero. Great insight into Lois's self-assessment. I loved her insight that she'd been missing something vital about Superman, and that his vulnerability in that painful conversation was the key to understanding him. Delightful story!
This *is* my happily ever after.
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Apr 2003
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Awww sweet story. I am glad Clark seemed to believe her. Nice job! Laura
Clark: “If we can be born in an instant, and die in an instant, why can’t we fall in love in an instant?”
Caroline's "Stardust"
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,823 |
Glad to see you posted! I knew this had to see the light of day - ASAP. Obviously others feel the same way.
Excellent vignette.
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Top Banana
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OP
Top Banana
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,200 |
Thank you all for the lovely feedback! I'm glad you enjoyed the story! And I appreciate your FDK Lynn: I'm afraid the ending didn't work for me. It didn't seem to me to be true to Clark's character. I would think that Clark would close himself off, at least at first, fearing that despite her words, she didn't really love Clark for himself, but only because he was also Superman. I see where you are coming from, but realize that his story was from Lois' POV. The ending was what she was feeling/realizing. It could be very plausible that after that last kiss, Clark could turn to her and say... 'Okay, that's all well and good... but we need to talk before we can move on.' If you look at the ending again, Clark didn't respond--except with a kiss. We know he loves her, but that doesn't mean he still wouldn't feel his own insecurities on the matter. But I didn't want to interrupt the poetical symmetry I was trying to create by contrasting the coldness Lois felt at the beginning with the warmth felt at the end. The point of the story was Lois understanding that she was worthy of love, and realizing who was the source of that validation. Thanks for reading!
Reach for the moon, for even if you fail, you'll still land among the stars... and who knows? Maybe you'll meet Superman along the way.
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 4,425 Likes: 1
Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 4,425 Likes: 1 |
Hi MozartMaid, Thanks for the explanation. And please let me take the opportunity to reiterate that, despite my difficulties with that one part, I did very much enjoy reading your story. Joy, Lynn
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Boards Chief Administrator Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 9,066 Likes: 31 |
Wow, I never expected a WAFFy revelation after the title and the opening gambit. She decided she would lose herself in his money, and then maybe, he wouldn’t notice that she didn’t love him. True. She could do that. Isn't that a fulltime job, actually? Suddenly, her reporter’s instinct kicked in, knocking her emotions and fears to the back burner. She suddenly had a mystery to solve, and the only person in the world who could help her was Clark Kent. Now, that could be fun. Clark having to help Lois discover Superman's identity And the ice, melted away… Did I already mention warm and fuzzy? Michael
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